OCZ Vertex 2E Review: 120GB

Results Analysis

As we’ve said many times before, all SandForce drives are very dependent on the data they’re handling thanks to the way they generate much of their performance from SandForce’s DuraWrite on-the-fly compression technology. This means that in worst case scenarios such as AS SSD, which uses incompressible files to simulate sequential performance, the Vertex 2E 120GB manages only a 210MB/sec read speed and a 130MB/sec write speed, dropping to just 83MB/sec after heavy use. Whearas the rest of the drive’s performance is unaffected by heavy use followed by TRIM, the sequential write performance as tested by AS SSD is irrecoverable by the use of the TRIM command. This is the case with all SandForce drives we’ve seen.

The data used by ATTO disk benchmark is easily compressed though, so it acts as a best-case scenario for a SandForce drive. It’s no surprise then that SandForce SSD partners use numbers generated by ATTO for their headline maximum read and write speeds for their drives. The Vertex 2E 120GB delivered a read speed of 278MB/sec and a write speed of 268MB/sec. These speeds are in line with every other SandForce SSD we’ve reviewed, and in the case of the write speed especially, are the fastest you’ll find. Even the amazingly fast 256GB Crucial C300 could only manage 240MB/sec.


Random performance was similarly excellent, but more so than we expected. A random read speed of 52.06MB/sec is standard for a SandForce drive but the random write speed of 84MB/sec is the best we’ve seen from a SandForce SSD – it was even better than G.Skill’s SF-1500 firmware-equipped Phoenix Pro 120GB which managed 68MB/sec. As OCZ’s exclusive access to the SF-1500 firmware is over, this performance jump is a product of the newer 1.11 firmware, which has also resulted in increased maximum random read and write latencies (although not to any significant effect, as the low average latencies show). Presumably this firmware will eventually be deployed by other SandForce drive partners, but for now OCZ is the only one actively distributing it for all its SandForce-powered drives.

As with almost all of the current crop of SATA 3Gbps drives, the Vertex 2E loaded STALKER: Call of Pripyat in a nippy 24 seconds. The Crucial C300 family are notably 17 per cent faster here, loading the same game in just 20 seconds.

Conclusion

Away from our frustrations that SandForce drives were arguably launched prematurely with too much over provisioning, the OCZ Vertex 2E is an very capable SSD, benefitting from great performance in all tasks. As we first established in the G.Skill Phoenix Pro review, there’s no discernable drop in performance having dropped the over provisioning by 18GB – there’s just more usable area, and a better value drive.

While the level of performance is dependant on the kind of data being used, the drive performed brilliantly in everyday circumstances. It delivered the responsive, snappy operating system performance you’d expect of a high-end SSD, and the improved Windows boot and game loading times brought by the near-instant access times.

The price is right too, with the Vertex 2E regularly appearing as the cheapest 120GB SandForce drive at around £249.99, which works out as £2.23/GB. However, competition is becoming increasingly fierce from the Crucial C300 128GB, which recently received a price cut and now can be bought direct from Crucial for £230.29. This price doesn’t include the highly recommend (but not necessary) SATA 6Gbps add-in card though, which jacks the price up to more around the £270 mark. The C300 does pack more formatted capacity and superior game level-load speeds though, so it’s a tough choice to make.

While the competition over120-128GB SSDs is showing no signs of letting up, the Vertex 2E remains a strong choice. Thanks to the excellent support structure OCZ has in place and the competitive pricing, we’d recommend it over any other SandForce SSD.

• Performance
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• 9/10

• Features
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• 8/10

• Value
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• 8/10

• Overall
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• 8/10

Score Guide